By Nicky Lodemore, People Director

To be an efficient recruitment specialist, you have to find the right person for the role. And to do that, you have to understand how purpose links people and productivity. The world of work is constantly changing, but one basic truth sustains: People stay longest and are happiest in jobs where they feel that they are doing something that matters both to them and to their employer; where they feel useful and that their work is needed.

Working at Inner Circle, my task right now is to link people who care about local government to the urgently necessary work of local government. We know that the primary purpose of councils is to support local people to thrive and be well. Yes, fixing potholes and emptying bins matters. But there is a far larger daily endeavour at the heart of our local government organisations. It’s nothing less than building a better future for all.

At ICC our dedicated team knows that councils face unprecedented financial challenges and unprecedented, complex need for services.  And we know that the public sector is entering a period of profound jeopardy where it risks being unable to fulfil its core functions. So we are working hard to grow our resources, skills and talents and stand shoulder to shoulder with council leaders who are working out with us how to design and deliver transformational change.

We’re not looking for people who will do as they’re told. We’re looking for people who want to reset the deal between the public and local government, who want to build trust, progress and innovation. We’re not looking for people who will tinker at the edges of systems to make them run a bit better, for a bit longer. We’re looking for people who can help transform public service organisations so they improve lives and are fit for a modern world. We’re not looking for people who know how to stay in their lane. We’re looking for people who will work directly with clients across multiple projects, using their experience to achieve the growth and change that they want to achieve for their communities. In short: We’re looking to give our new joiners a mandate to drive change and help us build our business – as well as their professional profile.

In the post-Covid reckoning about what local government now needs, there is a parallel conversation about how and why we work, and at ICC we’re actively engaged in it. The people I’m looking for will be able to design their own agile, flexible working pattern. They can decide where they want to focus their development and how they want to get there, with our support. Coaching, mentoring and feedback form the backbone of our learning philosophy.  Everyone at ICC is trained in core coaching and mentoring skills. Working with our team, they will benefit from a rich mix of experiences and viewpoints – among us we speak 15 languages and represent many countries and cultures, making for a multitude of diverse perspectives.

Good consultancy work is not cookie cutter work. We work from first principles directly with our clients and design for the context to create functioning and flourishing services for the future.

Successful recruitment for us means bringing on board people who will make their mark among a team of innovators and help drive social change for the better.